The green in the filling is fresh herbs: parsley, basil and chives mixed into whole-milk ricotta with Parmesan. There is no spinach.
Each rolled breast gets a coat of panko mixed with olive oil and a little of the chopped herbs, is seared golden in an oven-safe skillet, and finishes in a 400°F oven.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken breasts
- Four boneless skinless breasts, pounded 1/4 inch thick.
- Whole-milk ricotta
- One cup, mixed with the herbs and a third of a cup of Parmesan.
- Parsley, basil and chives
- The green flecks in the filling; set a little aside for the crumb coating.
Checks From Rolling to Slicing
Rolling
The chicken is an even 1/4 inch and each roll is tight and pinned with toothpicks.
Even thickness cooks evenly; a tight roll keeps the ricotta in.
Coating
Herbed panko pressed firmly all over the outside.
Loose crumbs fall off in the skillet.
Searing
Golden on the outside before the skillet goes into the oven.
The crust is set on the stove; the oven cooks the inside.
15 to 20 minutes
The chicken meat reads 165°F.
Measure the chicken, not the filling.
Before slicing
Rested 5 minutes and every toothpick removed.
Resting firms the filling; no toothpick should reach a plate.
How to Make It
Oven to 400°F, herbed ricotta mixed
Heat the oven to 400°F. Mix the ricotta, parsley, basil, chives and Parmesan.
Chicken seasoned, filled, rolled and pinned
Season the flattened chicken, spread the ricotta mixture over it, roll each piece tightly and secure with toothpicks.
Herbed panko pressed over the outside
Mix the panko with the olive oil and a little of the chopped herbs, and press it over the outside of the rolls.
Seared golden, baked to 165°F, rested
Sear the rolls in an oven-safe skillet until golden, then bake 15 to 20 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F. Rest 5 minutes before slicing.
Why This Recipe Works
- Pounding the breasts to an even quarter inch lets them roll neatly and cook at the same rate all the way along.
- Parmesan in the ricotta firms the filling so it stays inside the roll as it heats.
- Searing first sets the crumb crust golden; the oven then cooks the chicken through without burning it.
- A 5-minute rest before slicing lets the filling settle so the spiral holds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there spinach in the filling?
No. The green comes from chopped parsley, basil and chives.
Where do I check the temperature?
In the chicken itself, not the ricotta filling. The meat should read 165°F.
Do the toothpicks stay in?
Remove them all before serving.
Success Tips
- Pound the chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap to keep it from tearing.
- Leave a small border of chicken bare so the filling does not squeeze out as you roll.
- Count the toothpicks going in so you can find every one before serving.
Serving Ideas
Slice each rested roll to show the white herbed filling, and serve on a plate with the pan juices spooned around and parsley leaves.
